Gunrookie,
Make sure that your scope is not mounted too high. If it is, then any rifle will pound you from the bench.
Then, make sure that you cheek has a tight weld point against the comb of the stock. If for some reason it does not, then buy a tie on leather cheek or comb piece to raise it to a snug point of contact.
And finally, when you shoot a hunting rifle from the bench, you have to learn to hold onto the rifle really tight, while simultaneously relaxing the rest of your body. You can't just cradle the rifle in your hands like a .22.
And finally finally, your rifle will kick twice as hard when you shoot it from a bench, than when you stand up and fire it from your shoulder. If your rifle range will allow it, then stand up and fire a few rounds from your rifle off-hand, and you will see that it is not half as bad.
If after all this you still find the recoil too stout, then as suggested by a previous post, buy a good high quality recoil pad, like the Pachmeyer Decelerator, or a Kick-Eez, or a Limbsaver, and have it installed by a gunsmith. A good pad can soak up as much as 40% of the felt recoil energy!
33 is not old at all! We have folks that are 80 years old that are still rifle hunting every year.
Best,
Mannyrock
